In the past few weeks, most of our nation has had to deal with extreme cold, snow, ice and all the troubles which accompany such things. One might ask, is there an explanation for all this? The answer is yes, but it’s not what we might think. Our inclination is to blame changes in the weather patterns and maybe even global warming, although it is difficult to argue for the latter when it is so cold. I suggest more far-reaching explanation; the Lord God, sovereign ruler of the universe is trying to get out attention — and we are not paying much attention. As a people, we are bound and determined to do our own thing in our own way. We have rejected God’s law and thus the law-giver is becoming impatient with us. Consider the Ten Commandments are violated constantly. We worship gods other than the God of the Bible, gods such as power, prestige, pleasure and wealth; we commit wholesale adultery and, more recently, so-called same sex marriage; we violate the commandment not to murder with constant reminders on our streets of how little we value human life, and this includes life in the womb or life at the end of our days; we are constantly lying one to another, not just at the higher levels of government, but on the streets and in business; and then we covet what others have and often do “whatever it takes” to get it. The ancient prophets spoke the word of God to the children of Israel, but Israel did not listen; consequently, the Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians around 721 B.C., never to return to their homeland again, and the Southern Kingdom was sent into 70 years of captivity a little more than 100 years later in about 606 B.C. Therefore instead of blaming weather patterns or “Mother Nature” for our ills, we should look inward and see where we have transgressed the law of God and turn in repentance to the only one who can — and has promised — to bless us.